Money Isn't Everything
by BigBangYingYang62
Summary: Robin and Anna suggest a bet. When the winner is decided, something unexpected happens between the two that changes Anna's look out on life and her feelings for a certain tactician. Robin/Anna Not my favorite couple, but I'll give it a shot.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Fire Emblem in any way, shape, or form. Unless owning a copy of Awakening counts as some form of owning Fire Emblem.

* * *

The blond tactician of the Shepherds, Robin, was walking amongst the tents at camp. He was looking for a certain redheaded girl with her hair in a ponytail that he needed to talk to. Hopefully, this conversation would go in a better direction then their last one did.

Suddenly, he heard a voice coming from her tent, just two tents over from where he was standing. She sounded gleeful, as usual. Anna was one of those types that believed that money made the world around entirely. He was hoping he could get her to see the light. Putting on a smile, he walked in to her tent.

"Hello, Anna", said Robin to greet her. Last time the two of them talked, he had caught her off guard and scared her. She seemed more pleasantly surprised then scared witless this time.

"Oh! Hello, Robin!" she said in her cheerful tone. Honestly, how many good sales a day did she get that caused her to be happy almost a hundred percent of the time. They were fighting a war, yes, so he supposed her being happy was at least good for moral.

Switching to a frown, Robin got serious and down to business. "I've been thinking about our last talk... I must say, I'm a bit concerned", he admitted. He was hoping she would heed his counsel and come to her senses. "You know there are things money can't buy, right?"

It was the turn of the merchant from a family of sisters with the same looks and names to frown. "Well, everyone says that, but it's really not true", she said as though she refused to believe Robin's way of thinking. Switching to a smile, she listed everything that she thought money could buy. "Money can buy loyalty. It can buy safety. ...Power. ...Strength", she listed as though she were writing a Christmas list.

Robin couldn't believe this. Anna was basically saying that she could buy the Plegians and the Valmese and end the war. But that wasn't the one that got Robin's blood boiling. It was the final thing that Anna said.

"Even love is for sale, if the price is right", she said in a rather casual and laid back way, as though she and her sisters talked about the subject of buying love every time they had a family reunion.

Robin was sent into a state of slight shock at this claim. "You can't possibly believe that!" he exclaimed. Robin had once been in love with Miriel for a period of time, but Ricken had gotten to her first. No money in the world could have bought the love he had felt then.

But Anna had to go and further instigate things. "Believe it? Heck, I've SEEN it! I can't tell you how many men I've had to turn away", she said in her usual casual tone. "Besides, even the noblest soul considers finances when looking for a partner. No one wants to marry a broke joker, no matter how sweet he may be", she steamrolled on.

Now Robin has officially had enough of Anna being blind to the world. "You're wrong!" he shouted angrily. This caused Anna to jumped back a few inches in surprise. Robin was usually far more composed then this.

_"Why is he so angry?"_ thought Anna. _"I'm just telling it to him like it is!" _Anna then spoke to Robin aloud. "Look, I'd love to live in a rainbow-sprinkle world where money didn't matter, too. But it's important to be realistic about things, even when reality isn't pretty", she said, hoping to calm Robin down at least slightly. She failed in a most spectacular way.

Robin was still angry as could be. "Listen to yourself. Saying stuff like that when those rules don't apply to our comrades!" he pointed. He couldn't keep his emotions caged anymore.

But what really got him pissed off was the confused look Anna gave in response. "What do you mean? Of COURSE the rule applies to them. It applies to everyone", she said in her usual casual tone, although her voice did shake slightly.

Robin was about to reply angrily, when Lucina ran into tent, looking well out of breathe. "Robin, Anna, there you two are! Chrom has been looking for you two! We're about to scale the Demon's Ingle to fight Yen'Fay and his army!" she reminded them, practically gasping for breathe.

Robin quickly composed himself. "Sorry about that Lucina. Tell Chrom we'll be there in a minute and that we have some time to kill with the volcano limiting all of Yen'Fay's possible movements anyway ", he said. Lucina nodded and ran out quickly to inform her father.

Anna quickly smiled and attempted to leave the tent. "We'll continue this conversation another time, I'm sure", she said, but Robin stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Not so fast, Anna. I've got a little proposition for you. A wager if you will. And just for you, there will be money involved", he said as a smirk grew on his with each passing second.

Once Anna heard the bit about money, she stopped fighting Robin's grip. "I'm listening", she said as she relaxed and lay her steel sword on the ground next to her and sat back down on her bed.

Robin's smirk was so big, it was almost surprising that it could fit on his face. "I want you to find out three things. All of them have to do with love, and for each thing where money wasn't involved, you need to buy me something related to tactics. For each one where money is involved, I need to buy you an expensive gift. If none of them had money involved, you take me on a date. If all of them had to do with money, I need to help you out with your shop for one day", he explained.

Anna blushed brightly at the part with regards to a date if she lost, but her interest was piped up to the max. And she'd do anything to have a helping hand at the shop. "And what three things do I need to find out?" she asked, hoping for easy ones. Of course, in Anna's mind, ALL of them would be easy.

But Robin had played all the cards perfectly. Anna would be in for a hell of a time trying to find any of them having regards to money. "The first thing you must find out is how much money Ricken spends in helping Miriel with her experiments. Secondly, you must find out how much Gaius spent when he was buying Panne's wedding ring. Finally, you must find out if Inigo has spent even so much as a penny for the sake of Noire", he said with an overly large smirk.

Anna only laughed at this. "Do you WANT to help me, Robin? Because while using Tharja's future daughter and Olivia's future son does make good for making things rather interesting, all of that is far too easy", she said with a smirk playing on her lips.

Robin's smirk dropped into a frown at this. "Oh really? And how much do you believe each is?" he asked with mild interest, wondering how Anna would react to these propositions.

Anna simply scoffed at this. "Miriel preforms experiments daily, so Ricken must spend a lot of gold on buying the materials. Panne and Yarne are the last of the Taguel, so it must have cost Gaius a fortune to buy the ring once he found a shop that had one, and Inigo is such a ladies man, there is no way he has avoided buying gifts for Noire, especially considering her dark side", said Anna, shivering at how Noire went nuts when she learned Anna sold her a Silver Bow a twice the normal price.

Robin laughed the memory of that. Anna refused to partake in any battle Noire was part of for over a week. Literally, since Noire was an important part in most battles at that point. "Everything is not what it seems, Anna. That's an important rule anyone that studies tactics much learn", he said.

Anna did have one unrelated question though. "But regardless of the outcome, we're still friends right?" she asked. Anna had only had her sisters for company before joining Chrom's army, and Robin was really her only friend that she didn't want to lose.

But Robin did something unexpected at that. He walked up to Anna and gave her a hug. "Of course we're still friends, Anna. That will never change", he said kindly. If Robin wasn't staring at the wall to the tent, he see that Anna's face was now as red as her hair. After a few seconds, Robin finally released Anna and picked up her sword for her. Now let's go show Yen'Fay what he gets for betraying Say'ri!" he shouted with a smile.

Anna took the sword from Robin and nodded with a confident smile. "Yeah!"

* * *

I know the first part of this chapter was based on the B-rank support with Anna and Robin, but that's what inspired me to do this story. Take care till next time!


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Fire Emblem in any way, shape, or form. Unless owning a copy of Awakening counts as some form of owning Fire Emblem.

* * *

"Ah, another successful day at the shop!" said Anna in her cheery tone. She figured that with Yen'Fay dead, several good sales would make for a great way to celebrate. But the day wasn't over yet for her. "Now then, on to beat Robin in that bet!"

But just as Anna was about to walk off and find Ricken, she saw a sight that made her heart sink. The was Say'ri, red puffy eyes and tears streaking down her face. Surrounding Say'ri was Chrom, Lucina, Lissa, and Robin, each of which was saying something to either comfort the girl or hoping to strengthen her resolve.

Anna had to know what was going on. "Robin!" she called to the tactician. Robin turned and made several gestures at Chrom before the latter nodded and continued onward with Lissa, Lucina, and Say'ri.

Robin ran over to Anna with one of those serious looks on his face. "Anna, now really isn't a good time", he said to her with a tone of urgency in his voice. "After Yen'Fay's death, you and everyone else didn't stick around to learn the truth about Yen'Fay", he explained.

Anna's eyes widened with surprise. "What do you mean "the truth"? And what does it have to do with Say'ri being in tears with four of you huddled around her like you just bought the most amazing thing in the world?" she asked with curiosity in her voice.

Robin sighed, but recounted the recent events that had left Say'ri with great emotional scars.

* * *

_Flashback_

_The small group comprised of Say'ri, Lucina, Chrom, Lissa, and Robin had began to leave the Demon's Ingle. However, Say'ri had something to say before their departure. Words of longing for knowledge and confusion came out of her mouth._

_ "Our victory is secured...Yen'Fay has fallen. I will never understand why he joined Walhart... His reasons die with him", she said. This much was true. Yen'Fay had been very cryptic about his reasons when Say'ri and he had crossed swords._

_But just before they could continue the conversation further, a certain purple haired dark mage that was the snake known as Walhart's tactician arrived with a small flash of light. " But oh, what a death it was!" said Excellus with a hint of glee in his voice. "Did you see the grief etched on his face? The mix of longing and pain in the eyes? He had become such an accomplished actor, but that was all too real, hee hee!"_

"By the Gods, how happy can you get over death?" _thought Lucina to herself. _"It's such an ugly thing and this man treats it like he's a child that has just received a sugary treat for desert."

_Say'ri's face was instantly filled with rage. " Excellus... What would you know of my brother, you loathsome toad?!" she asked with poison dripping with each word she spat out at the dark mage._

_Excellus took a look of restrained anger and clenched his fists. "More than you, princess of Chon'sin", he said, attempting to mock Say'ri with use of her royal title. "And I would watch that mouth of yours... I am honoring Yen'Fay's sacrifice by not killing you now...but even I have my limits."_

_Upon hearing the words "sacrifice" and "Yen'Fay" in the same sentence, Say'ri became confused. " ...What? What do you mean "sacrifice"?" she asked with a tone of suspicion in her voice._

_"Oopsie! Did I just spill the beans?" asked Excellus in a very mocking tone. "Hya ha ha ha ha! I'm so sorry, but I promised your dear brother I'd never tell...", he added just to spite the young Chon'sin noblewoman._

_Now at the point where her rage was boiling, Say'ri pulled out her killing edge and pointed it at the man before her. "Explain yourself, snake - or die!" she shouted with confidence and power in her voice._

_Excellus quickly gained a look of superiority as a response. " Bah! As if YOU could harm ME! YOU only live by MY grace, you ungrateful WRETCH!" he shouted, enunciating the last word." I could have had you killed countless times! And I would have, if not for him..." He trailed off at the last part._

_Say'ri had had enough of people being cryptic, her brother and Excellus alike. He tightened her grip on her sword and took a stance. "Enough talking around it - say what you mean!" she shouted. If Say'ri wasn't ready to kill before, she was MORE than ready to kill now._

_Excellus' face returned to his usual mocking and insane smile. "Oh, did Yen'Fay not groan out the truth as you cut him to bloody pieces? No, I suppose not. He always was so quiet. And proud...honorable, I think they call it?" he said, as though he had never heard of the word "honor" before. "Yet he swallowed his pride and cast aside his honor...all to protect his beloved kin. That's right, Little Sis. He did it...to save you", he explained, his smile now giving him resemblance to a toad._

_Say'ri sudden dropped out of her stance and dropped her weapon at what she just heard. "What?! ...Lies... You're lying!" she shouted. She absolutely refused to believe that her beloved brother had joined forces with the greatest threat the world was facing just for HER._

_"No, I'm telling the truth, which I admit is a rare treat, so you best shut up and enjoy it", said Excellus with anger in his voice. "Before you met these Ylisseans, I could have had your head with a word. In Chon'sin, at Valm Harbor... Did you really think yourself so elusive? You were my leverage for Yen'fay. Unwitting and unbound, but a hostage all the same. I let you live; he fought for us. That was our deal. And he kept his end, right TO his end!"_

_Say'ri suddenly felt helpless and sad beyond words. "No...", she uttered before dropping to her knees in despair. "NO!" Say'ri couldn't hold back anymore. Tears began streaking down her face uncontrollably._

_" Phew... Well, I don't know about you, but I feel MUCH better having that off my chest", said Excellus with relief and his usual air of mocking. "Maybe I will give this truth telling a try more often! Yes, I shall resolve to do so! In any case, good-bye, friends! I wish you safe travels, and so sorry about Yen'Fay... Oops! I broke my resolution twice already! Tee hee hee!" And with that, Excellus used his magic to teleport away from the group._

_Now on all fours, Say'ri was broken and tears were falling off her face on to the hot floor of the Demon's Ingle. " N-no, this isn't... This can't be... Y-Yen'Fay, no..." were the only words that she could manage past her lips._

_End Flashback_

* * *

By the time Robin had finished, Anna looked absolutely shocked. Her and her sisters were carried many secrets even from each other, so at first, it wasn't surprising. But keeping a secret that involved the reason behind a betrayal?! Not even HER family would do that.

"So now you now what happened", said Robin simply without a hint of emotion in his voice.

Anna nodded with a frown on her face. "Yeah... Although I now regret asking you", she admitted.

Robin simply gripped his head and sighed. "Look Anna, I need to go help Chrom plan our next strategy. I saw Ricken having trouble putting his tent away again. Why don't you go help him?" he asked.

"Alright", agreed Anna as the two walked off in opposite directions. And sure enough, just as Anna arrived, Ricken's tent collapsed on top of him.

"Son of a mother-!" he began as he started to punch the canvas from the inside, but Anna pulling the tent off of him cut him off.

Ricken looked up to see Anna struggling not to giggle. "Oh! Hello Anna! Just... trying to take down the tent from the inside rather then the outside! Yeah!" he shouted, hoping that this cover story would suffice.

"Whatever floats your boat, kid", said Anna as she began helping pack the tent away properly. It was at that moment Anna remembered something important. "Oh! Ricken, there's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while now...", she began, lying about how long she wanted to know.

Ricken cast her a look of annoyance. "If it's why Panne and I are the only ones in the army that haven't visited your shop, I don't need that kind of stuff being a dark knight and Panne only needs a Beaststone which you don't carry", he explained.

Anna looked rather angry at that. "You little bastard! I always wondered...", she began, but she quickly shook her head. "No, it's not about that. It involves your marriage with Miriel", she said, correcting herself.

Ricken had just finished folding the tarps when he responded. "What about it? Are you implying that you like me and want me to cheat on her?" he asked.

"No, Ricken. Not that. I wanted to know how much money you spend in collecting materials for her experiments", Anna explained.

Ricken smiled slightly at that. "Absolutely nothing is spent, except energy walking around camp", he said with pride in his voice.

Anna did not seem to understand. "What do you mean? She does experiments so often. I would think you'd leave camp and head to town in order to buy what she needs", she explained, using all the points she used against Robin.

Ricken actually gave a humorous laugh as a response. "Yeah, I always thought she bought the materials before I started working with her. But as it turns out, she just asks Frederick for the excess that he wants to throw out. It saves gold for when we need to purchase gear and it also saves time", he explained. "Is that all?"

Anna paled slightly, but nodded regardless. "Yeah, that's all. I've just been curious for a while now. Thank you", she said.

Ricken gave a small smile. "No. Thank YOU for helping me with my tent", he said.

Anna nodded to show her response, and walked off. "Screw it! Now I need to think of something that would help with tactics to buy Robin...", she began, when a thought came to her. Quick as a wink, Anna ran down to the nearest town, hoping that what she was about to buy could be counted as something related to tactics. But above all else, she was just hoping Robin would like it.

* * *

Anna's first attempt ended in failure! Will things be like this with Gaius and Inigo? What is Anna going to buy for Robin? Leave what you, the readers, think in your reviews. Until the next update, adios!


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Fire Emblem in any way, shape, or form. Unless owning a copy of Awakening counts as some form of owning Fire Emblem.

* * *

Walhart has been forced into retreat and the turncloaks had rallied to help the Shepherds. It was only a matter of time until Chon'sin was freed. Say'ri would finally avenge her brother's death. She may have been the one to deal the blow, but Excellus is the one that left the guilt of doing so within her. The last minute strategies were being planned on both sides. However, on one side, the planning was already complete.

"Are you absolutely sure this plan will work?" asked Chrom after Robin filled him in.

Robin nodded with confidence in his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure. They'll keep the main general in the front of the pack to guard the door. Further in, we'll be faced with Walhart's personal guard, keeping us from reaching him directly. Once we surpass that, nothing will stop us from reaching Walhart and ending this war", he explained.

Chrom simply smiled and gave a chuckle. "Robin, you dastard. You never cease to amaze me. Now before we get out there, Anna has something to give and says I'd want to see it", he said.

Robin simply sighed with slight annoyance. "Well, where is she?" he asked, before a pair of soft and small hands clouded his vision.

"Guess who?" said a voice into his ear. This caused Robin to jump in fear and grab his Thunder tome from the nearby table before realizing it was simply Anna.

At this point, Chrom was red in the face from laughter and Anna had her hand on the hilt of her sword. "What the hell, Anna?!" asked Robin in disbelief. "I thought Aversa had snuck into camp!"

Anna gave a giggle at that. "As if she'd last two seconds here. Anyway, seeing as how Ricken and Miriel have no money involved in their experiments, you win the first leg of the bet", she said with slight disappointment in her voice.

Chrom merely raised an eyebrow, but Robin gave a smirk. "So I assume you have my first tactics related gift?" he asked in a teasing tone.

Anna simply smiled. "Put a hand in this bag and find out", she said in a almost daring tone as she pulled out a leather satchel.

Robin did as he was instructed, but his eyes widened in surprise at what he felt. "Such power! Anna, what did you get me?!" he asked.

He needn't ask the question, as one second later, a yellow sphere-like cage with a red ball inside floated into the air. Robin had to look down and shut his eyes to avoid being blinded by the flash of light that followed.

Once it was save to open his eyes, Robin looked at himself to see his outfit had changed. Though the style remained unchanged, he now had a golden chestplate where the outfit had previously been held together by two strings tied together. Robin had been upgraded to the Grandmaster class.

"Wow", he managed through his shock, before looking at Anna and asking her a question. "Uh, Anna? Although I'm flattered and quite frankly thankful for this, how does upgrading me to a Grandmaster relate to tactics?"

Anna simply giggled as a response. "Well, you're right that it's not related to tactics DIRECTLY. But whose to say that your being a Grandmaster won't give us a TACTICAL advantage?" she briefly elaborated.

Chrom gave a smile at this. "She DOES have a point about that Robin. You're stronger now, and this could prove handy in beating Walhart or useful should Validar attempt to instigate another war against Plegia", he brought up.

At that moment, Flavia just walked into the room. "And with Basilio gone, we're gonna need all the strength we can get", she reminded everyone.

"Way to ruin the mood", said Anna as though Flavia was a kill joy. In way, both were right. Robin's little power boost was a reason to be joyful, but there would never be a way to shake the death of Khan Basilio.

Robin only gave a smirk and raised a fist with confidence. "Alright. It's time to start building experience and take Walhart down!"

* * *

Excellus couldn't believe this. The dynasts that he had struck a deal with laying siege to the capital. He just could understand why they would do this after everything he did to get them to play for his team.

"Th-they... There must be several hundred thousand soldiers out there!" he shouted with disbelief in his voice. "Would they dare...?! Is it... Is it possible... Is it possible it was Yen'Fay they feared all along, and not me?!"

Walhart kept his facial expression very neutral, as though he felt nothing. "Without him to back it up, your threat was only the grand shadow of a tiny spider", he said in a slightly disappointed tone.

Excellus became visibly angry and defensive at this. "Tiny spider, is it? Well this spider has woven other webs in secret you could not even-", he began, but Walhart cut him off abruptly.

"You mean how you blackmailed Yen'Fay to keep his loyalty? Or perhaps your correspondence with the Plegian woman...Aversa, was it?" he said, looking at the sheer shock on Excellus's face. "Yes, I know you have designs on the Fire Emblem... You have no secrets from me, worm", he finished.

At this point, Excellus could not make heads or tails of how or why Walhart let him survive to this point. "B-b-b-but... I... I don't... If you...knew all of that...w-why...", he started, but he couldn't bring himself to finish. Instead, Walhart finished for him.

"Why haven't I killed you? ...I've asked myself the same thing, several times...", confessed the Conqueror. "But you're no threat to me. And I admit, you have your uses. Besides, I'm not one for court jesters, but you do...amuse me."

No longer willing to take this verbal abuse, Excellus finally snapped. " Amuse you? I AMUSE you, like I'm a jester?! Are you AMUSED now? With a million swords at your door, come for your head?!" he shouted as if Walhart had decided to take on Chrom by himself despite his injuries. "You've lost! Lost, and you are going to DIE! All of you, ALL OF YOU! But not me! I want no part of this suicide!"

"...Why Excellus, did you just volunteer to lead my personal guard against the rebels?" asked Walhart, but it didn't take someone like Miriel to know that it was more of a statement then a question.

It was only at this moment that Excellus realized that for once, he shouldn't have spoken what he felt was the truth. "...What?! No, that's-", he started, but Walhart cut him off abruptly.

"Unless you'd rather fight me. Right here. RIGHT NOW", stated the giant of a man as he raised his axe.

Excellus quickly knew he wasn't being given a choice. "Mercy! Mercy! F-forgive me, my master!" pleaded the dark mage in a rather rushed attempt at an apology. "A moment's madness only - it will not return!"

Walhart then gave a rather stiff nod. "Then it's settled: we have our new captain of the guard", he said with certainty. "Congratulations, Captain. You'll be right at my side until the fray is upon us." With that, Walhart exited the room, leave Excellus with the bearded general of the army, Cervantes.

"Do give our guests a warm welcome, snake. Perhaps offer them some of your tea?" said Cervantes in a mocking tone. "Hah hah... My equal... Pah!" With his words to the tactician of Walhart's army finished, Cervantes left the room as well, leaving Excellus alone to his thought.

"...They forget who I am. I could have fried them both where they stood with my magic! We will crush these rebels... We MUST crush these rebels...", began Excellus, before trailing off and slowly breaking into an evil grin. "Or maybe...if Walhart is sufficiently injured...I might "amuse" him with a spell... Nya ha, either way, this spider crawls out alive! Eee hee!"

* * *

And so I end this chapter with a storyline bit that follows the game. But we now know Anna's gift and how it related to tactics. Tata for now, my friends!


End file.
